Eli's Children: The Chronicles of an Unhappy FamilyFenn, George Manville
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Eli's Children: The Chronicles of an Unhappy Family
Fenn, George Manville
Dysfunctional families -- Fiction
"It was very brave and manly of him to do what he did," said Julia,
sadly. "I can never thank him enough."
"Hush I walk faster; let's get beyond those rocks, Julie," cried her
sister, excitedly. "He's coming now."
"Ah!"
Julia's breath came with a spasm of agony, and her features seemed
rigid.
"He hasn't seen us yet," whispered Cynthia, but with the same excitement
in her voice. "Make haste."
They almost ran on now, till they were obliged to pause for breath.
"Don't look round," whispered Cynthia, "whatever you do."
"And we are farther than ever from the town!" moaned Julia, as she
clasped her hands.
"Well, what does that matter?" cried Cynthia. "Why, Julie, how pale you
look!"
"Oh, pray come on faster--faster," whispered Julia.
"No, no, poor boy, I've led him dance enough. He may catch me now.
Why, Julie," she cried, "I declare I've frightened you. Oh, my dear
sissy, I did not mean your Bogey: I meant mine. I wrote and told him we
should be walking along here about four o'clock, but, of course, I never
for a moment expected he would come."
Poor Julia held one hand across her eyes as she drew a long breath of
relief, and holding by her sister's arm she walked slowly on, with her
eyes closed, for they were now on a smooth stretch of sand.
"You must not be so ready to take alarm at nothing, dear. Oh, I say,
Julie," Cynthia added, piteously, "let's turn back, or he won't see us.
No--yes. Hark! it's all right; he has seen us. I can hear his step.
Don't look round, Julie," she whispered, joyously. "Oh, dear, why it's
you, Harry. However did you come down?"
"Train, to be sure," cried the young man, heartily. "Why, you both look
brown already. So glad to see you looking better, Julia."
"Well, it was very nice of you to come, Harry. But how's poor Mr
Magnus?"
"Heaps better. I persuaded him to come down with me for a week. I left
him at the hotel."
"Oh, you good boy," whispered Cynthia; and then they strolled gently on
till they were a long distance from the last houses in the town. The
sun made the calm sea shimmer like damasked silver, and in the
transparent pools the water was many-tinted with the reflections from
the green and grey and yellow cliffs; and, as such people will, both
Cynthia and Harry grew more and more selfish, taking it as a matter of
course that Julia should grow fatigued and seat herself upon one of the
rocks that had fallen from above, to be ground, and beaten, and polished
smooth on one side, while the other was roughened with the limpets and
acorn barnacles that crusted it like a rugged bark.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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